Diving board



DIVING BOARD 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Sept. 29, 1949 J E a W Q on l WJM ,Vm. PM W W. L h M u? W1 Y B ATTORNEY April 13, 1954 w. J. NlGHTINGALE 2,675,235

DIVING BOARD Filed Sept. 29, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WILL/AM J.' N/GHT/NGALE A7" TOENEY Patented Apr. 13, l 954 DIVING BOARD William J. Nightingale, Valparaiso, Ind.,assignor to Sterling Manufacturing Company,

Val-

paraiso, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application September 29, 1949, Serial N 0. 118,605

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to an improved diving board in which spring means supply the resiliency oi the board. One feature of this invention is the provision of an improved diving board structure having a substantially rigid diving board portion hinged to a base member with the necessary resiliency being supplied by a spring operatively connected to the diving board portion; another feature of the invention consists of housing the spring means under the diving board structure so that it may be readily shielded and will result in a compact structure; a further feature of the invention is the provision of easily adjustable spring means together with means for adjusting the spring means; still another feature of the invention is the provision of spring means for a diving board structure with the spring means being under a load in addition to that supplied by the diving board portion; a still further feature of the invention is the provision of spring means for a diving board structure wherein the spring means is adapted to be deflected substantially equal distances for unequal loads; and another feature of the invention is to provide a diving board structure formed in a compact unit with spring means an other moving parts under the board, and adapted to be contained in a side housing that is of substantially no greater width than the width of the diving board portion. Other features of the invention will become apparent in the detailed description of certain embodiments of the invention given hereinafter.

Various embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, of which: Fig. 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of the improved diving board structure; Fig. 2 is an elevational view of said structure; Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken along line 3--3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken along line 44 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a vertical section similar to Fig. 3 showing another embodiment of the invention; Fig. '7 is a horizontal section taken along line 1-7 of Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a vertical section taken along line 8-8 of Fig. 6.

The improved diving board structure of this invention broadly comprises a movable diving board portion rotatably connected at one end to a base member, a member rigidly fastened to the movable portion on the bottom surface thereof, and a spring means operatively connected to said member to resist downward movement of the movable diving board portion.

The spring means is located beneath the diving 2 board portion. The diving board portion is made as rigid as can conveniently be done, and the resistance of the board to a load thereon is supplied by a spring means located beneath the board. An important factor in this invention is the provision of means whereby the spring will take unequal loads with substantially the same amount of deflection for each load. Thus the diving board structure will accommodate men, women, or children, of unequal weight.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, the diving board structure comprises an approach platform 20 constructed of an inverted channel member and supported at the rear by a post 2|, a forward movable or diving board portion 22 projecting out over the edge 23 of a swim" ming pool, with the movable diving board being pivotally mounted at the front of the approach portion 20 on a cross-shaft 24. The movable diving board 22 is also made of an inverted channel member having cross bracing to make it as rigid as possible. Attached to the diving board 22 near the approach portion 29 are two depending and parallel substantially vertical arms 25.

' The shaft 24 passes through the top portions of these arms. Near the bottoms of these arms 25 there is located a vertical cross member 26, while spaced rearwardly from and substantially parallel to the cross member 25 there is located a stop member 21. This stop member extends between a pair of vertical, substantially parallel side hous-' ing members 28 arranged on either side of the diving board structure, and rigidly held by end members 29 and 30. The stop member 21 is held rigid by means of bracking members 3!.

Between the cross member 28 and the stop member 2'! there is located a conical compression spring 32. The small end of the spring 32 is lo cated against the cross member 25 that extends between the arms 25. This small end is held by a pin 33 mounted on the cross member 2'6 and extending into the small end of the spring. The side housing members 28 serve to conceal the spring 32 and the arms 25, and these housing members are rigidly fastened to the edge of the pool by means of small angles 34. The housing members have a small cross shaft 35 near the top edges for supporting the front end of the approach portion 20.

By using a conical spring 32 to supply the resistance to deflection of the diving board portion 22 it has been found that no adjusting means is necessary for th spring. When a load is applied to the spring the large end compresses first, as it has a weaker resistance than the remainder of the spring. Thus when a child uses the diving board the large end of the spring is compressed a certain distance before the remainder of the spring is deflected. When a heavier weight, such as that of a man, uses the board, the large end of the spring is also deflected first, with the remainder of the spring then being progressively deflected; Thusthereneed beno additional adjustmenti; means for the, conical. spring, although such means may be provided if desired. The conical spring may be used with the auxiliary equip ment shown and described in relation to the other embodiments of the invention.

. The approach portion '20..and:the divingboard portion 22 are both covered by .-at'continuous length;

of extensible padding 35, such a iwoveni coconut fiber. This padding is freely, stretchablaandds,

made with no break betweenthe'approach portion and the diving board.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 6 to 8 an alternative type of spring meansis shown. Inthis embodiment. there areprovided two concentric cylindrical springs. with .th outer spring 31. being larger and, stronger than, the inner spring 38.

These. springs; extend, between. a, cross: member:

26a. and. a backin ,v plate 39,v I he backing Plate isheld in spaced relationship to a stopniember 21a.by. means of threaded rods flil passing through thestop member 21a;- and bearing against the backing plate.3 9., A- small nut M- is provided on eachthreaded.rodAlLtolock it in position; The springs- 31. and. 38: are heldin positionby means of. aplurality, of. horizontal rods 42 located adjacentf the inner suriace-ofthe inner spring 38 and extending:fromthe stopmember 23' a through the backing; plate 3.9 and the cross member 2 6a. The backing member; 39. andthecross member 25a are slidableon theserods. A center rod dais also providedzextending through the-center of the concentricsprings 3'1 and38, with this rod also extending, from the stopmember. 21a through the-backing plate 39'and cross member 26a. This center rod. is welded or otherwise fastenedto the cross member 26a, and is slidable with respect to the backing plate 39 and the stop member 21a. The end extending through the stop member is threadedzand-provided with anut 44: By means of-thisrod initial compression maybe applied to thesprin s 31 and, 38 inaddition to that provided by-the weightof the diving board portion 22. The nut, which is adjustable, servesltolimit expansion ofthe springs, and serves as a stop whenload is, suddenly released from A the diving board por tion;

The resistance'of the springs-3T and=38'may. be adjusted-by moving-thebacking plate 39'to various distances away from the stop member 21a. Thus when there, is achildrens, day at the pool the springs may: be adjusted, so thatthey are under very little or no'initial compression. On other days when men userthe pool; the'springsimay be placed under relatively great, compression- If desired, the-smaller'inner spring 38 may bemadeso. that. it has: a. greater. length ,thanthe larger 4 outer spring 31, when no loads are on the springs. Then by spacing the cross member 26a and the backing plate. 39 a distance apart greater than the length of the outer spring 31 the inner spring 33 will be the only one that will resist load on the diving board 22. With this arrangement the outer spring 31 will not come into play until the inner, spring 38, has been compressed under the loadior; such a distance that its resulting length is equal to the length of the outer spring 31. Although as shown, the inner spring 38 is the weaker spring, it may be desirable in some cases to make-the outer spring 31 the weaker one.

Thisinventionisrelated to that shown in my Batent No@.2-,9.0,563 granted March 25, 1952.

saiddiving board, ashaft extending: thrusaid walls. and said: flanges for, pivotally supporting said. diving, board, opposedbracketsyseoured to;

said flanges, said shaft extending. thru said brackets, a crossmemberrsecured to the lower. portion of, said brackets, a. transverse stop membersecured to said walls,,rearw-ardly ofsaid cross member, anda conical volutespring betweensaid members. with the. larger end against the stop member.

2. In a. diving,board; 1a housing having: spaced walls, a channel shaped diving-board having'its fiangesvdownwardlydirected and positioned, be-

tween said walls, apivot shaftextending thru said walls; and flanges for supporting said board, a pair of opposed brackets securedto said flanges,

a cross member attached. to;the-1ower portionzof;

saidbrackets a stop. member: extending between said walls, and-yieldingmeans extending between said cross-.memben andsaid-i stop member, saidyielding means:- having a. low initial resistance:

constantly. increasing toa higher resistance as said; yieldingmeans is contracted.-,

References. Cited. in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number- Name Date 1,832,755 Waddell NOV. 17, 1931,

2,251,?66 Stark Aug. 5, 1941.

2,461,086 Schumacher"- Feb; 8, 1949" 2,542,359" Rocklin Feb. 20, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS.

Number; Country: Date' 5170,4110 France Apr. 30, 1924 6501,1251 Germany 1937 

